Washing machine



Nov. 14, 1933. N. R.- LEVY ET AL 1,935,

WASHING MACHINE FiledSeptflS, 1950 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Nmlmn fr? Leyymd fdqar A! 00/0/2- INVENTORS ATTORNEYS Nov. l4, 1933. N LEVY ET AL 1,935,212

WASHING MACHINE I Filed Sept. 13, 1930' s Sheets-Sheet 2 A TI'ORNEYJ Nfi. 14, 1933. N. R. LEVY ET AL 1,935,212

' WASHING MACHINE Filed Sept. 13, 1950 3 Shee,ts-Sheet 5 4 Alarm/winer W4 Edgar/Y 00////2 INVENTORS A TTORNEYS Patented Nov. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- WASHING MACHINE New York Application September 13, 1930 Serial No. 481,712

Claims. (Cl. 259-81) This invention relates primarily to washing or dry-cleaning machines, and has for an important object to provide an agitating container, and a supporting frame therefor, the arrangement be- 5 ing such that the container may readily be removed from the supporting frame and the supporting frame itself may be disassembled and have all of the parts thereof placed in the container for storage or shipping. It is a feature of the illustrative mechanism that it is of extremely simple construction and may be manufactured very inexpensively.

It is a further object of the invention to so construct and arrange the container and the supporting frame that by the mere rotation of an operating handle motion may be imparted to the container which is peculiarly effective for agitating the garments and the cleansing liquid in the container, and which does not tend to wind and pack the garments.

To this end it is a salient feature of the invention that the container when operatively mounted in the frame is supported for rotation about an inclined axis, the bearings being at different levels. The angle of inclination is desirably such that the container moves between extreme positions in one of which it stands substantially upright for filling, and'in the other of which itis inclined a little downward in a position favorable for completely draining the contents of the container when the cover is removed.

An important advantage of mounting the container in the manner referred to consists in the fact that the high point of the container may be so situated that the container may be mounted in balance or substantially in balance, and yet may be filled to a far greater extent than containers mounted in a balanced manner in prior machines. r

By high point is meant the point of the con ainer which has the greatest elevation'in its lowest operative position. Where the container is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis the high point is obviously the axis of the horizontal bearings. If such 'a container is mounted in a balanced condition, the container cannever be filled half way because the vent cannot be more favorably situated than at the axis of the horizontal bearings. If the bearings are located so high that the container isflunbalanced, greater filling may be secured but at the cost of jerky and unbalanced operation.

With the present construction, on the contrary, the high point of the container is at the intersection of the upper bearing with the adjacent container wall. There is never a substantial proportion of the container volume above this point. Hence, considerably greater filling may be secured with the present construction without the sacrificeof balance.

It is a fact, moreover, that with the motion imparted to the container in the machine of the present invention there is a considerable area of the can wall adjacent the upper bearing which is never substantially below the high point. The location of the vent opening in any portion of this area, therefore, does not involve a substantial sacrifice of useful capacity. Hence a limitation which has heretofore been imposed upon the location of the vent opening is removed.

A further feature of the invention relates to the provision of a pouring lip having one or more openings therethrough, the lip being so situated that when the container itself is operated into 76 positon for pouring the pouring lip will occupy a bottom segment of the mouth of the container and prevent the discharge of the garments in the container while the liquid escapes through the opening or openings in said lip. $0 A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of a mesh bag adapted to hold the garments during cleaning and to be secured by a draw cordin the upper portion of the container for holding the garments after cleaning, whereby the garments may be drained before removal from the container and may be removed bodily in a comparatively dry condition. The cleaning liquid is thus saved for re-use.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention provision is made of means for 'lock-- ing the containerin upright position when de sired, so that danger of accidentally upsetting the container and spilling its contents is avoided when the cover is off the container.

It is a further important feature of the invention that the upper bearing of the container is in the form of a stub shaft. An operating handle may be removably connected to the upper bearing, and said bearing may be supported with- 1 out restraint against longitudinal movement in an open U-shaped bearing of the frame. This method of support is feasible, for the reason that the weight of the container not only tends to hold the upper container bearing in the bottom of the open frame bearing, but also tends to force the lower container bearing against the lower frame bearing, so that there is no wobbling or lateral play. The arrangement is extremely simple and inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, showing the container in full lines in filling position and in dot and dash lines in pouring position. The mechanism for latching the container in filling position is illustrated in full lines in its ineffective position;

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 1, the handle being omitted;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the closure locking ring, the ring being illustrated in contracted position;

Figure 4 is a view in elevation of the structure illustrated in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, sectional elevation illustrating a mesh bag secured in the upper portion of the container;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, rear elevation illustrating details of the short supporting leg of the frame and the latching mechanism carried thereby; and y Figure 7 is a fragmentary, sectional View showing the clamping ring applied to the container and the container cover.

The illustrative machine is a small portable machine, and consists of two principal units, namely, a container unit 1 and a frame unit 2. The container unit comprises a drum-shaped container 3, preferably though not necessarily cylindrical, and of corrugated metal having a bearing bracket 4 aflixed near the bottom at one side thereof, and a bearing bracket 5 affixed near the top at the opposite side thereof. The lower bracket 4 is provided with a bearing socket 6 whose axis extends upward preferably at an inclination of a littleless than 45 degrees, while theupper bearing bracket 5 carries a bearing shaft 7 whose axis is aligned with the axis of the bearing socket 6. The outer end 8 of the bearing shaft '7 is reduced and is non-circular in cross section, being adapted to have an operating handle 9 removably fitted upon it.

The frame unit 2 comprises a short leg 10 which carries an upwardly extending bearing pin or stub shaft 1'1,'a long leg 12 comprising sections 13 and 14, and a cross connecting rod 15 whereby the legs are secured together. The connecting rod 15 is reduced at both ends and threaded to receive clamping nuts 16 and 17. The leg 10 is clamped between the nut 16 and the shoulder formed at the inner end of the associated reduced portion of the connecting rod .15, while the section 13 of leg 12 is clamped between the nut 17 and the shoulder formed at the inner end of the associated reduced portion of the connecting rod 15. A tong'ue 18 is provided upon 'leg section 14 which is adapted to fit in a noncircular recess defined by a rib 19 which is formed on leg section 13. A screw 20 is passed through the tongue 18 and through the metal of leg section 13 bounded by the rib 19. Anut 21 is threaded onto the screw 20 to clamp the leg sections securely together.

The upper section 14 of the longer leg 12 is provided with anopen, U-shaped, inclined bearing 22 into which the bearing shaft 7 may be placed, and from which the bearing shaft '7 may be removed at will.

The shorter leg 10 comprises a pair of widely spacedsupporting feet 23 (see Figure 6), while the longer leg comprises a pair of widely spaced lower portion of the container.

cleaning liquid is thus efiected, and dripping of.

supporting feet 24. The frame legs, conjointly with the connecting rod therefor, constitute a stable four-point support for the container unit.

The container 3 is provided with an outturned lip or flange 25 adapted to coact with a cover 26 and a sealing gasket 27 carried by the cover for securely closing the mouth of the container. Any suitable means may be employed for securing the cover in operative position and clamping it firmly against the flange 25 to seal the container effectively. As illustrated herein, the clamping means includes a clamping ring 28 which comprises a body portion 29, an upwardly inclined upper flange 30, and a downwardly inclined lower flange 31. Both the upper and lower flanges 30 and 31 are provided with a plurality of cut-outs 32 to provide easy bending zones and thereby facilitate contraction'of the clamping ring upon the cover and the can flange. The clamping ring normally tends to expand from its operative position, and when it is in its normal expanded form the lower flange 31 is of sufficient internal diameter to clear the cover 26 and the container flange 25. The internal diameter of the upper flange is less, however, because of the fact thatthe upper flange extends in farther than the lower flange,

so that the clamping ring is arrested with the margin of the cover engaging the inner marginal portion of the upper flange. When the clamping ring has been thus placedupon the cover and the mouth of the container,.it is contracted to project the lower flange inwa d beneath the container flange. Because of t e angular relation of the upper and lower flanges, such contraction is effective to cam the cover down firmly against the container mouth and to compress the gasket 27 so that a tight closure is secured.

Contraction of the clamping ring is effected by a clamping buckle 33 consisting of a link 34 pivoted on the clamping ring adjacent one end thereof, and a U-shaped link 35 pivotally mounted on offsets provided intermediate the ends of the link 34. The central or body portion of the U- shaped link 35 is adapted to, be inserted beneath a hook or finger 36 provided on the opposite end of the clamping ring. The end of the link 34 remote from the pivot thereof is adapted to be used as a clamping handle. By forcing this handle portion of the link 34 inward against the end of the clamping ring on which it is mounted, the clamping ring is contracted. As will be observed from an inspection of Figure 3, the link 35 is carried across the point of pivotal support of link 34 in the course of such movement, so that the inherent resiliency of the ring 28 does not tend. to operate the buckle in the reverse direction, but instead acts to hold the buckle locked in effective clamping position, that is, in the position of Figure 3.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, provision is desirably made of a mesh bag 3'7 adapted to be positioned in the upper portion of the container and supported from the mouth thereof. The use of the mesh bag is optional, its purpose being to support the garment or garments out of contact with the liquid during draining, so that when the cleaning is considered complete, the bag with the garments in it may be securedin the upper portion of the container and the container may be supported in its upright position and permitted to stand until most of the liquid has drained out of the garments into the A saving of the upper marginal or mouth portion of the mesh bag may be folded outward around the bead or flange 25 at the mouth of the container, and the draw cord may then be tightened beneath such flange and tied to prevent accidental dislodgment of the bag. The cover may be placed loosely on the container during draining.

It will be observed that when the container is mounted in the frame in the manner illustrated in Figure 1 and closed, rotation of the handle 9 will. be efiective to rotate the container between the upright position illustrated in full lines as one extreme, and the downwardly inclined position illustrated in dot and dash lines as the oppo site extreme.

tainer is rotated, and has been found to be a very desirable motion from the standpoint of securing proper agitation and also from the standpoint of smoothness of operation. It is a point, moreover, that the upright position is a desirable one for filling, while the downwardly inclined position is a desirable one for draining. To facilitate the retention of the container in its upright position and guard against accidental upsetting, provision is desirably made of a latch 39 pivoted at the upper end of the frame leg 10 and adapted to be swung to an effective position (illustrated in dot and dash lines in Figure l), in which it projects through a latch opening 40 formed in the lower .bearing bracket 4 of the container.

To facilitate pouring without removal of the garments from the container, when the mesh bag is not used, provision is desirably made of a pouring lip or guard 41 within the mouth of the container at that side. which is opposite the upper bearing, or in other words, at that side which is lowest in the pouring or draining position. This pouring lip facilitates the retention of the garments in the can during draining. The pouring lip is provided with one or more openings 42 adjacent vthecan wall through which the liquid may I The peculiar motion of the containersecured by mounting it for rotation about an inclined axis is advantageous for the reason that it removes limitations which have been present in prior'machines. The vent opening should obviously be provided either at the high point of the container or at a point which is not substantially below the high point in any operative position. By reason of this limitation it has heretofore been necessary to carry the vent opening out through one of the container bearings. Such location of the vent necessarily required that the container be never filled half way or else that the bearings be. located so high that the weight of, the container and its contents would be badly unbalanced with reference to the bearings, and would necessarily involve a very jerky motion in operation. With the present arrangement, on the contrary, all of that side of the can adjacent the upper bearing. and lying above it in the Fig. 1 full line position is so situated in the downwardly inclined position of the container that it is not substantially below the high point, in this instance the point of intersection of the upper bearing axis with the adjacent container wall. Neither is a substantial proportion of the volume of the container at any time above such-wall portion; As a consequence, the vent opening may be provided either at such point of This motion is secured by reason of the inclination of the axis about which the conintersection or slightly below it or at any point in that portion of the container wall which is above the upper bearing in the upright position of the container. With the vent located in any of the positions referred to the container may be filled to a greater extent than heretofore, and yet be operated without jerkiness such as would result from an unbalanced mounting. The vent opening is indicated at 43 in Fig. 1. i

It is a point of considerable importance that the mounting of the container for rotation about an inclined axis makes possible a construction which is very economical, and yet which provides the utmost speed and simplicity in the assembly and disassembly of the container unit and the frame unit. As has been mentioned, the upper bearing carried by the container is in the form of a shaft, while the upper frame bearing is an open U-shaped bearing adapted to receive the shaft. The shaft is of sufficient length so that it may first be placed in the U-shaped bearing 22 and then be moved endwise to position the lower socket bearing 6 upon the lower shaft bearing 11 of the frame. Such provision for endwise movement of the shaft '7 in its bearing is feasible for the reason that with the can supported for rotation about an inclined axis the weight of the can is always effective to thrust the socket bearing 6 endwise toward the shaft bearing 11, and hence into engagement with a thrust bearing surface 44 provided on the short leg 10 adjacent the shaft bearing ll. Because of this feature there is 'no endwise play of the container carried bearings, and hence there is no wobbling in operation despite the fact that the upper bearings are not provided with instrumentalities to oppose such endwise play. The weight of the container also acts to hold the shaft 7 seated in the bottom of the open bearing 22, it being unnecessary to provide means for locking the shaft down. As a result of the the shaft 7 in the bearing 22 and then permit it to slide longitudinally-downward to interengage the bearings 6 and 11.

While the mounting of the container for rotation about an inclined axis is of great advantage for the many reasons already pointed out, it

,nevertheless introduces a substantial difiiculty with reference to the construction of the frame so that the frame may be disassembled and completely stored within the container. The shorter leg is straight and is of such dimensions that it may be received in its entirety within the container. The same thing is true of the connecting rod15. The longer leg, however, is not only broad at the base, but is necessarily of considerable length and is curved to accommodate the can in its operative movement without interference. It is accordingly a feature that the longer leg which carries the upper bearing is made in a plurality of sections, name- 1y, a, lower section having a broad base and an upper section curved toescape interference with movement of the can and to carry the upper bearing inward to a point substantially overlying the base.

While the. invention has been described herein as applied to a washing or dry-cleaning machine, it is to be understood that features thereof are recognized as having-utility in other agitation producing apparatus. such" as churns, and

where such limitation is expressed in them.

iii)

While we have illustrated and described in detail certain preferred forms of our invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures. We do not, therefore, desire to limit ourselves to the specific constructions illustrated, but intend to cover our invention broadly in whatever form its principle may be utilized.

We claim:

1. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, a supporting frame having a low bearmg, and a high bearing, a container having a bearing below the middle of one side thereof for cooperation with the low frame bearing, and a second bearing above the middle of the opposite side for cooperation with the high frame bearing, and means for rotating the container about an axis inclined to the horizontal and defined by said bearings, between extreme positions in one of which the longitudinal axis of the container is substantially upright.

2. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, a supporting frame having a low bearing and a high bearing, an agitating container mounted onthe frame for rotation about an inclined axis, said container having a bearing below the middle of one side thereof for interengagement with the low frame bearing, and

a bearing shaft above the middle of the opposite side for cooperation with the upper frame bearing, the upper frame bearing being open at the top to facilitate insertion therein and removal therefrom of the bearing shaft, and the container bearings being held against both longitudinal and transverse shifting solely by gravity, said container having an open end and a closure therefor, and having a normal substantially uprightv position with its open end at the top thereof.

3. In a machine of the kind described, in combination, an agitating container, and a frame adapted to support the container for rotation about an inclined axis that extends obliquely to the container axis, said frame being made in pieces adapted to be separated and stored in the container and comprising a short leg provided with a low bearing, a plural section long leg provided with a high bearing, means for detachably connecting the sections of said long leg, and a connecting member detachably secured to both legs, the lower section of the long leg being provided with widely spaced feet, and the upper section being curved outward to escape interference with operation of the container, and then inward substantially to, or beyond, the plane of said feet.

4. In a machine of the kind described, in combination a frame having a low bearing and a high bearing, said bearings being in axial alignment,

a drum-shaped container having substantially flat ends, one of which is open, a closure'for said open end, bearings mounted on said container at opposite ends thereof, and cooperating with said high and lowv bearings of said frame, said container bearings lying in an axis of rotation diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the container, the axis of rotation defined by said frame and container bearings being inclined in the neighborhood of 45 to the horizontal, the open end of said container being located at the top thereof in one position of the container and in a lateral position when the container has been rotated through an angle of 180 about its axis of rotation.

5. In a machine of the kind described, in ,combination a frame having a low bearing and a high bearing, said bearings being in axial alignment, a drum-shaped container having substantially flat ends, one of which is open, a closure for said open end, bearings mounted on said container at opposite ends thereof, and cooperating with said high and low bearings of said frame, said container bearings lying in an axis of rotation diagonal to the longitudinal axis of the container, the axis of rotation defined by said frame and container bearings being inclined in the neighborhood of 45 to the horizontal, the

open end of said container being located at the top thereof in one position of the container and in a lateral position when the container has been rotated through an angle of 180 about its axis of rotation, said container having a vent therein near its high bearing.

NATHAN R. LEVY. EDGAR N. DOLLIN. 

